Beauty
Don’t overdo it.
“Everyone thinks you need more makeup onscreen, but less is more,” Dee says. Stay with your usual routine, just add primer and eye cream. Put them on five to 10 minutes before your makeup to keep it looking fresh for the entire affair.
Blend with the gusto of Ralph Macchio waxing a car.
“You’ll see edges of your makeup more onscreen. If, say, you’re using neutral eye shadow tones, make sure that each color is blended into the next so you don’t see that line of demarcation.” The same goes for foundation or BB cream — run it down your neck a bit so your makeup doesn’t look like a facemask.
Fool everyone into thinking you slept well.
Under-eye circles will pop more (thanks HD!), so focus your concealer there.
Fill in your eyebrows.
They don’t have to be giant and bold, Dee says, but any holes will appear larger onscreen.
Maintain facial hair.
“Beards have a tendency to go from looking really nice to really scraggly pretty quickly,” Dee says. A one-day beard for a groom is great, she adds, but two-day growth will start to look thick and shadowy.
Keep blotting lotion and powder on hand.
It takes down the tone on brides and grooms. Otherwise, light will reflect and make you look oily, particularly in the T-zone.
Lighting
Harness natural light.
Place the camera between yourself and a window, and use sheers if you have them, Lullo says. “A nice sheered window gives you a softer light, which smoothes out wrinkles and is generally more flattering.”
Avoid a spotlight.
People think they should shine a light directly on their faces, but you’ll only end up looking like a deer in headlights.
Invest in an LED panel.
Put it next to the camera, pointing toward you and your soon-to-be spouse. It’s like a ring light, only better.
Use your lamps.
“I have one in my office for when I do my Zoom meetings,” Lullo says. “It shoots down and lights my whole desk, so all that beautiful wood just reflects back up in my face.” Any old lamp should do. The key is the lamp shade. Softer light, which is more natural-looking, diffuse, and casts fewer and less distinct shadows, is the best way to light eyes, he says.